EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
The Board of Education recognizes that its responsibility for the safety of students extends to possible
natural and man-made disasters and those emergencies are best met by preparedness and planning.
The Board authorizes a system of emergency preparedness which shall ensure that:
 the health and safety of students and staff are safeguarded;
 the time necessary for instructional purposes is not unduly diverted;
 minimum disruption to the educational program occurs;
 students are helped to learn self-reliance and trained to respond sensibly to emergency
situations.
All threats to the safety of District facilities shall be identified by appropriate personnel and responded
to promptly in accordance with the plan for emergency preparedness. The Superintendent shall develop
administrative guidelines for the handling of all emergency evacuations.
EMERGENCY GUIDELINES
The primary consideration in any emergency situation must be the safety of the students and staff. At
certain times, therefore, it may be necessary to ask the staff to perform "beyond the call of duty" in
order to provide for the welfare of our students. In the event of an actual emergency situation, all
school personnel, instructional and non-instructional, will be required to remain in the building until
they are dismissed by the supervisor.
EVACUATION
 When an emergency occurs, the supervisor shall, when feasible, consult with the
Superintendent/Director of Special Education whether or not to evacuate the school. An
announcement will then be made to inform staff and students of the emergency procedures
that will be followed.
 If a decision is made to send students home or to a pre-selected site, attempts will be made to
notify parents by telephone and/or by radio or TV and the public address system will be used to
inform all teachers and students.
The professional and support staff members will supervise the orderly evacuation of the
building.
o If time permits, all students will go to their lockers, unlock them, take a coat if applicable,
and return to class leaving lockers open.
o The custodian will assign and instruct the members of his/her staff to positions that allow
"free-flow" of traffic on and off school property.
o Teachers should take class rolls, including, addresses and telephone numbers of students as
well as emergency information.
o Teachers will remain (or return) to their regular classrooms and remain with their students.
o Cafeteria personnel will remain in their areas until notified to the contrary by the main
office.
 C.
In case of a bomb threat, the police department will search the building. Above all, it is
imperative that all personnel remain calm and in control throughout the emergency.
FIRE/TORNADO DRILLS
In accordance with State law, fire drills are to be conducted periodically, not less than eight (8) per year.
If they cannot be conducted monthly due to weather, at least five (5) shall occur in the fall, and the
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remaining three (3) throughout the rest of the year. Each supervisor shall prepare and distribute fire drill
procedures whereby:
 all personnel leave the building during a drill;
 the plan of evacuation provides at least one (1) alternative route in case exits or stairways are
blocked;
 teachers, when the fire alarm sounds, caution students to walk silently and briskly from the
building to a specified location, close all windows and doors of room and turn out lights, if
possible, before leaving, check to make sure any disabled students requiring assistance are
being assisted properly, and conduct roll call as soon as students are at the designated location
to make sure that each student is accounted for;
 a list is compiled of all disabled students in the building who will require assistance in exiting the
building together with the assignment of a staff member or non-student volunteer in the
student's classroom who will be responsible for providing necessary assistance in an appropriate
manner. A person should also be designated to assist a disabled student when the evacuation
signal is given and she/he is in another area of the building such as the gym, all-purpose room,
or lunchroom.
The supervisor shall document that each fire drill was conducted in a proper manner and submit such
documentation to the Superintendent at the end of the school year. (See “Report of Fire Drills” Form on
page 8 )
Tornado/Severe weather drills shall be conducted on a regular basis (at least two (2) per year) during
the tornado season.
UNUSUAL SITUATIONS
The following situations are quite unlikely to occur, but in such an event, use the following procedural
guidelines:
 Student or staff member held hostage
o Isolate the area. DO NOT make a P.A. announcement or sound the fire alarm. The nearest
administrator will direct teachers and monitors on duty to notify teachers in nearby classes
to take their students to a previously determined area.
o Notify the police immediately, giving as much information as possible (e.g. number of
terrorists, number of hostages, types of demands being made). Police will be in charge once
they arrive.
o Notify the Superintendent.
o Develop a list of casualties, if any.
 Intruders in building or on school property
o Ask them to leave.
o If they do not leave, remind them of trespassing law.
o Notify administrator in charge and the District office.
o Avoid any physical conflict or loud verbal altercations.
o The supervisor or any staff member who is involved may notify police if intruders do not
leave and/or call for the assistance of other members of the staff.
 Unauthorized demonstrators or pickets around building before school opens
o Follow procedures for intruders.
o Attempt to enter building peaceably.
o Notify District office
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o Hold students on the school buses if demonstrators seem to pose a threat.
o Notify law enforcement officers.
Demonstrators or pickets around building at dismissal
o Follow procedures for intruders.
o Notify administrator in charge.
o If demonstrators seem to pose a threat, hold students in class until further notice.
o Notify law enforcement officers.
Buses not operating - students in school
o Keep all students in class
o Summon all unassigned professional staff members for instruction.
o Keep students in school until parents are notified of the problem and transportation for
their child arrives.
SEVERE WEATHER AND TORNADOES
Every spring the District faces the possibility of severe weather and tornadoes. Each school is to monitor
a weather-alert radio for severe weather conditions and each supervisor or supervisor is responsible for
setting up procedures for notifying their staff and students about severe conditions and maintaining
proper safety.
Tornado Watch
A tornado watch is a forecast of the possibility of one (1) or more tornadoes in a large area. When a
tornado watch is in effect, the District will continue normal activities but move recess and physical
education activities indoors. Each building and department shall designate someone to be responsible
for continuously monitoring the watch while students are in the building or on the premises. School will
not be dismissed early and dismissal time will be at the regular time even if the watch is still in effect.
Tornado Warning
A tornado warning signals that a tornado has been sighted and may be approaching. Staff shall open all
classroom windows and doors and proceed with all students to the pre-designated tornado shelter
areas and remain there with the students until further notice. Disabled students who need assistance
are to be assisted by the person designated to assist them for building evacuations. No student shall be
allowed out of his/her designated area unless his/her parent comes to the school and requests that the
student be released. A student is to be released only to his/her parents.
 A tornado warning signal is a siren and/or an announcement on the public address system.
 All groups outside the building are to return to the school and go to their designated shelter
area.
 Proceed to predetermined shelter areas.
o Students shall line the interior hallways as quickly and safely as possible away from glass and
sit with their backs to the interior wall, knees drawn tightly to their chests, face positioned
between their knees and their hands over their necks. Students in wheel chairs are to
remain in their chairs with the back of the chair against the interior wall.
o Students shall remain quiet to wait for instructions.
o Staff members shall remain alert for students who evidence signs of stress or panic, and
when necessary, move such students to an area where they will not influence other
students and remain with them until the all-clear signal is given.
o The supervisor shall give the all-clear signal and provide further directions.
 Areas to be avoided.
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Spaces that are opposite doorways or openings into rooms that have windows in the
exterior walls, and areas with large roof spaces.
Interior locations that contain glass, such as doors, windows, display cases and the like.
Areas where doors swing. When the storm hits, the doors are likely to swing violently.
Any wall which is nonload-bearing.
Corridor intersections (stay at least ten (10) feet away).
Any corridor which has potential to become a wind tunnel.
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EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING
(LETTER TO PARENT)
Dear Parent:
During each school year, conditions may arise which could cause your child's school to close during the
day. The reasons for closing are usually related to severe weather conditions which appear to be
worsening through the day. If deteriorating weather is the reason to close the school, efforts are made
to make that decision prior to noon.
Other conditions may arise necessitating school closing. These could include loss of electrical power,loss
of water, damage due to wind, storms, fire, or other circumstances. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS
OBLIGATED TO SEND CHILDREN HOME BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL HEALTH OR INJURY FACTORS AT THE
SCHOOL BUILDING. THIS IS REQUIRED BY VARIOUS AGENCIES RELATED TO HEALTH, WELFARE, SAFETY,
AND/OR FIRE.
In an effort to safeguard your child if sent home in the middle of the day due to emergency, the
following procedures will be used:
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
It is essential that you provide the school with information (to be kept by your child’s teacher)
identifying at least two (2) “safe places” that you want your child to go to in case of an early
school closing. Your child will be reminded of his/her "safe places" and then assigned to one of
those places.
You should not depend upon siblings to be a caretaker for your child (if not in the same school)
as only this school may be closed.
FAN-OUT - A fan-out is established as soon as possible at the beginning of the school year. It is an
ATTEMPT to notify parents of an early school closing, however, notification cannot be guaranteed.
Sometimes one (1) person away from his/her telephone causes a breakdown to those who are next in
the calling cycle. Many times phone lines are down at the school site or in your neighborhood, so there
is no phone service. Often no one is available to receive the call. A maximum of two (2) numbers will be
called for each student.
In addition to the established fan-out, you may wish to exchange calls with friends and neighbors (from
the same school) as a back-up in the event the system breaks down.
Please do not call the school as such calls tie up lines that are needed to run the fan- out.
BUSING - Your child will not be permitted to ride a bus other than one already assigned. If your child
normally walks to school, she/he may not ride a school bus. The reasons for this relate to overcrowding,
liability factors, and increased confusion.
CAR POOLING - At the time of closing, if you pick up your child and wish to drive some other children,
please inform the school office, prior to pick up, so we know which children are being picked up and by
whom.
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CONFUSION - Though we have experienced school closings in the past and this procedure has worked
well, an air of excitement tends to prevail. It is essential that everyone remains calm and collected so
the dismissal procedure can work effectively.
We are as concerned as you about the safety of your child in early dismissal situations. We have studied
other options that would keep students housed somewhere within the District when early closing is
necessary, but after consulting other school districts in the area, we find no reasonable means of dealing
with these emergencies other than closing the school and sending students home.
The staff and I appreciate your cooperation and assistance in creating the safest possible environment
for students upon any early dismissal.
Sincerely,
________________________________________
Principal
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REPORT OF FIRE DRILLS
School __________________________________________________
Principal ____________________________________________
Reporting Period __________________________________________
Date of Report ________________________________________
Fire drills were conducted at the school as described below.
Drill
Date/Time
#Occupants
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Conditions
Other